Just a year into his tenure, some northern elite have reportedly engaged in a power play because they are not satisfied with the president's style of governance.
Former lawmaker Senator Shehu Sani became one of the first political figures to oppose this alleged move, urging northern political leaders to allow Tinubu ample time to get Nigeria’s economy back on track.
Senator Sani criticised former President Buhari for worsening conditions in the North during his eight-year tenure, highlighting that poverty and insecurity reached unprecedented levels.
Sani also mentioned that a southerner has only been in power for a year, and it’s too soon for the northern elite to begin their power plays.
In the same light, the Arewa Young Leaders Forum (AYLF) has thrown its weight behind President Tinubu and the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev.
In a statement by its President, Alhaji Mohammed Sanusi, the group praised the Minister’s initiatives and innovations for significantly improving the lives of citizens, particularly in the northern region.
The group noted that upon his appointment, Utsev promptly began developing surface and groundwater resources to support socio-economic growth, aiming to help President Tinubu achieve water accessibility for citizens and ensure food security.
“We are pleased to express our unwavering support for President Tinubu and Minister Utsev’s initiative to tackle the long-standing issue of inadequate access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene in our country.
“The Minister’s ‘Clean Nigeria; Use the Toilet campaign’ has been hailed as a laudable initiative that aligns with the international best practice of promoting the well-being and development of young people in the northern region,” Sanusi said.
Sanusi highlighted the concerning statistics, revealing that millions of Nigerians do not have proper access to clean water, leading to billions of naira in GDP losses and the spread of waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, and typhoid.
Despite this, he is optimistic that the government’s decisive actions to achieve complete open defecation-free status by 2025 will significantly improve the lives of citizens, particularly in the northern region where clean water access is limited.